


Plus One

by javajunkie



Category: To All the Boys I've Loved Before Series - Jenny Han, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:06:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22370749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/javajunkie/pseuds/javajunkie
Summary: Lara Jean and Peter agree to be each other's plus ones to a full roster of summer weddings.
Relationships: Peter Kavinsky & Lara Jean Song-Covey
Comments: 152
Kudos: 460





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is obviously based loosely on the movie Plus One, but there will be some differences along the way!

Lara Jean Song-Covey had never been stood up before, and she had to say, it wasn’t something she cared to repeat. The restaurant was busy and her waiter hovered just near enough to make her know that she was on limited time. He wasn’t entirely wrong in that she finished all the good bread from the bread basket and the feelings she was feeling in this particular moment needed something more than an artisanal wheat roll.

She checked her phone again. Nothing. She should have known it would be nothing. This was what she got for trying online dating. She held off for so long. All the way through the Bumble boom and Hinge hysteria. The dating trends had ricocheted all the way back to meeting in real life, but Lara Jean had tried that, too, without much success. Besides, that took longer, and she had a timeline now. Six months.

Lara Jean had been fine going alone to Margot and Josh’s wedding. Sure, she didn’t particularly enjoy sitting out all of the couple dances, and she could hear a few of her older cousins lamenting if she would ever find a husband. But, she was younger then and the rising feminist in her knocked out the romantic as she strode past them with her chin held high. Who needed a man, anyway?

But, this was different. Kitty was getting married in six months. _Kitty_. Her little sister, who by all rights should be getting married _after_ her, right? Lara Jean knew it was silly, but she always imagined celebrating her little sister’s wedding with someone. At this rate, she’d be alone again, fielding weird Uncle Julian’s drunken advances. (He wasn’t a blood relation, which made this less, but still very much, disturbing.)

The waiter approached, having the good grace to at least look sheepish as he said, “I’m sorry, but as you can see we are very busy. I’m going to need to ask you to leave unless you order something.”

Lara Jean nodded, beginning to stand. “I understand. I guess I’ll just-“

“Covey?”

The last person Lara Jean expected to see was Peter Kavinsky. In fact, she hadn’t thought of him for years until he was standing in front of her, looking disarmingly handsome in a sweater and jeans.

“Peter, hi.”

The waiter mistook Peter as her wayward date and stepped back. “I’ll give you two a moment to look at the menus.”

Lara Jean went to correct him but he had already moved on to another table of actual paying customers. 

“You can’t say I didn’t try. Maybe he’ll bring extra bread now,” she added, perking at the thought.

“Extra bread?”

“Oh, sorry, let me fill you in. I’m being stood up right now.” His eyes widened and she nodded. “Yes, and as I’ve been sitting here, waiting for the person who stood me up, I ate all the good bread.”

“Define good bread.”

“The brown one. I don’t actually know what it is but it’s great.”

Peter gestured toward the empty seat and she shrugged, thinking why not, there was no way this night could get worse. He sat down and Lara Jean noticed the looks from a nearby table of women. As her irritation flagged, it struck her just how strange it was to be sitting across from Peter. An uncomfortable thought passed her by, and she cleared her throat before she spoke.

“You don’t actually have to sit with me right now.”

“I don’t mind,” he returned easily.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” she asked. Her eyes widened suddenly and she said, “You’re not supposed to be at another table, are you?”

He laughed. “Don’t worry, I already ate.”

The waiter returned and Peter asked, “Is there any way we can get more of that brown bread? My girlfriend ate it all before I got here.”

The waiter just barely concealed his irritation and said, “Of course, I’ll be right back with some.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Who said it was for you?”

Lara Jean smirked and Peter asked, “So, you were really stood up?”

She nodded, curling her fingers around her untouched silverware. “They said online dating was supposed to be easier. No one I met in person has ever stood me up.”

“You don’t strike me as an online dating person.”

“I’m not,” Lara Jean said. Peter gave her a leading look and she admitted, “Kitty is getting married.”

“Well, that will do it.”

“I’m not _that_ person,” Lara Jean lamented. “I don’t get jealous over other people’s happiness. But everyone around me is getting paired off and I’m just…me. I couldn’t bear the thought of going alone to Kitty’s wedding, so, here we are. It's working out great.”

“I know how that feels,” Peter said. “But try being the divorced guy at all the weddings.”

“I did hear about that,” Lara Jean said. “I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he said, shrugging slightly. Lara Jean couldn’t help but recognize the resignation. His tone turned light as he said, “It’s my fault for being one of the first one’s married. I should have timed it better.”

“Well, now you know for next time.”

“It wouldn’t even be that bad, except everyone seems to be getting married now. I swear I have a wedding every month.”

“I have a few, too,” Lara Jean admitted. “Good way to meet people, though?”

“Not when it’s all the same people.”

Lara Jean nodded morosely, perking only remotely when the waiter returned with a basket filled with only brown bread.

“So, can I get you two anything other than bread?” the waiter asked with a tight smile, clearly over their table and the bread that didn't provide a tip.

She hesitated before Peter picked up the menu and said, “Yeah, I’ll take an order of the truffle fries.”

The waiter scribbled down the order and turned to Lara Jean as he asked, “And for you?”

“I’ll have the Caesar salad. Thank you.”

As the waiter walked away, Lara Jean leaned in and said, “I thought you ate already.”

“I got my second wind.”

Lara Jean settled back in her seat and said, “Okay then.”

They talked casually over the brown bread and then continued a comfortable repartee when his fries and her salad came. They covered what happened in their lives over the years between them. She was a lawyer. He worked in public health. They shared a brownie ala mode, and as she scraped up the last bit of ice cream he said, “I have a sort of crazy idea.”

“Okay, shoot,” she said, tracking the ice cream through brownie crumbs.

“What if we went with each other to these weddings?”

She looked up at him with surprise. “What?”

“I don’t mean pretending that we’re together or anything.”

“Yeah, because we did the fake dating thing in high school, remember? It was embarrassing for all parties involved.”

“Yes, I remember,” he said, pulling a face. “But you were right that weddings are a good place to meet people. Specifically, my weddings would be a good place for you to meet someone. And who knows, maybe I’d meet someone at one of yours.”

It was a ridiculous idea but she could tell from the earnest expression on his face that Peter thought it was anything but.

“You’re serious about this,” Lara Jean said.

“And if you’re still single for Kitty’s wedding I can go with you,” he offered, his lopsided grin letting her know that at least this part was a joke. “If I remember correctly, your family loved me, so you would only get high praise.”

“What if people start asking questions?”

“We tell them the truth. Weddings suck when you’re by yourself.”

Lara Jean was concerned that this was starting to make sense. Even more concerning, she was considering it. Peter raised his glass and said, “So, what do you say?”

Lara Jean hesitated before murmuring, “What the hell.”

She picked up her glass and clinked it against his.


	2. Chapter 2

Lara Jean always loved weddings, even in her current situation. It was probably because she loved people falling in love, and what could be a better representation of that than a wedding? This wedding was no different. It was a pair of Peter’s college friends. She learned in the couple’s vows that they met in their dorm’s cafeteria freshman year when she accidentally knocked over an entire tray of muffins. 

“And the moment she picked up a blueberry muffin off the floor and put it on her tray, I knew. This was the woman I was going to marry.”

“He’s leaving out the part where he slept with Nicole Barrington for another two months,” Peter said under his breath. “But, that’s probably not a relevant detail here.”

He glanced over at Lara Jean as she wiped at the side of her eye with the edge of her hand. 

“Are you crying?” he asked incredulously.

She sniffed. “No.”

“You are crying. I can’t believe this. You don’t even know these people.”

“Sshh,” she admonished, knocking his arm with her elbow. “You’re talking over the vows.”

He stayed dutifully quiet during the rest of the ceremony, but did not refrain from smirking in her direction as she discretely blew her nose after the couple shared their first wedded kiss. As she and Peter walked out, he gamely asked, “Alright, are you ready for a drink after all that crying?”

“Ha ha, very funny,” she returned drily.

“Come on, you have to admit, crying over people you’ve never met…it’s kind of weird.”

“It doesn’t matter that I’ve never met them. I always find weddings very moving.”

“Let me guess, because of all the love?” he asked with feigned rapture. 

Lara Jean wedged her clutch under her arm as she accepted a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. “Yes, I find love inspiring. And a wedding is a celebration of that love. How can you not find that moving?”

“The 50% divorce rate,” he parroted back as he grabbed his own glass of champagne.

“You cannot be that cynical.”

He saluted her with his glass and said, “As part of that number, yes, I believe I can.”

Lara Jean pressed her lips together, feeling a bit guilty for how the conversation had turned, and said, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, the divorce was better than the wedding. It cost less and I didn’t have to talk to everyone in the room.”

Lara Jean considered that for a moment, trying to think of something polite to say back, and settled with, “Well, at least you have the right perspective.”

Peter smirked. “It was hard for you to say that, wasn’t it?”

“Extremely.”

A group of people wedged themselves past the pair, and Lara Jean stepped forward quickly, nearly colliding with Peter. He instinctively held her waist to steady her and she cleared her throat as she moved next to him and said, “Thank you.”

“Yeah, no problem.” He spotted someone over her shoulder and brightened. “Hey, there’s someone that I wanted you to meet. Jason!”

A tall man with a kind face approached, his mouth pulling into a wide grin as he gave Peter a quick hug.

“Peter, it’s great to see you, man.”

“You too. This is Lara Jean.”

“I’m Jason,” he said, shaking her hand. He hooked a thumb toward Peter and jokingly asked, “What did you do to end up here with him?”

Lara Jean laughed. “That is a very good question.”

“I’m going to get a refill,” Peter said, raising his empty glass. “I’ll be back.”

Lara Jean’s eyes tracked him on his way to the bar until Jason said, “So, how’d you meet Peter?”

“We actually grew up together.”

“Wow, it’s funny when you reunite after all those years, isn’t it?”

She caught the meaning in his words and said, “We’re not together.” He looked confused and she added, “I’m just here for moral support. Not that Peter needs moral support.”

“We’ve all taken one for the team as a plus one,” Jason said. He seemed to hesitated for a moment, and then asked, “So, can I get you a drink?”

“I think it’s an open bar.”

She could tell that he hadn't thought of that, but he quickly remedied the situation with, “Then I promise to tip very well.”

She smiled slightly. “Okay. A drink would be nice.”

* * *

Later that evening, Lara Jean sat at a table, watching couples dance on the dance floor. She spent most of the evening talking with Jason, but he left not long ago due to an early meeting. Peter came over with a slice of wedding cake and sat next to her, immediately stuffing a heaping forkful into his mouth.

“Charming,” Lara Jean retorted.

“Hey, there are very few things I actually enjoy about weddings. Let me have this.”

Lara Jean relented, but not before picking up a fork and helping herself to a bit of the frosting. He didn’t comment, instead saying, “It seemed like you and Jason hit it off.”

“Yeah, we did,” Lara Jean said. “We exchanged numbers.”

“Okay,” Peter said with a wide grin. “Let it be noted at this moment that I am a remarkably good wing man.”  
“Yes, you are very impressive,” Lara Jean said.

“So, are you going to go out?”

“We’re getting dinner next weekend.”

Peter nodded appreciatively. “Way to go, Covey.”

Lara Jean attempted to cover her smile with another forkful of whipped cream and was mercifully saved by the DJ announcing the final song of the night. It was a slow song and Lara Jean watched the couples sway with a distinct yearning. She didn’t notice Peter stand until he was in front of her with his hand extended.

“Oh, we don’t have to,” she said immediately.

“Come on, I can tell you want to,” he said. “Besides, I’m what has been termed a 'clunky but adequate' dancer. You don’t want to miss out on that.”

“Who called you a clunky but adequate dancer?”

“My former mother-in-law. Believe it or not, that was one of the nicer things she’s said about me.”

Lara Jean grinned and took his hand, following him out onto the dancefloor. He slid his arm around her waist and she placed her hand on his shoulder. She placed her hand in his again and they moved slowly. After a few moments, he looked down and asked, “So, what do you think?”

“You are a perfectly adequate dancer, Peter.”

The song winded down and they pulled away from each other, clapping with the rest of the party to mark the end of the wedding. However, the DJ announced one bonus song, the crowd loudly voicing their approval when _Don’t Stop Believin’_ played. Lara Jean and Peter danced along with the rest of the crowd, jumping with abandon and screaming the lyrics. When the song ended, Lara Jean braced her hand on Peter’s shoulder, catching her breath. 

She looked up at him and said, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you had a good time tonight.”

He grinned down at her. 


	3. Chapter 3

“I was looking through Sara Worthington’s Instagram, because she was just on that _insane_ trip to Hawaii where she posed in front of like, twelve different waterfalls, but anyway, she was tagged in this photo from a wedding last month, and you were in the background with Peter Kavinsky looking very couple-like. And, um, _what_?” 

“It’s not what it looks like,” Lara Jean said, hoping to talk her friend, Chris, off of a metaphorical ledge. Chris did not like being kept out of the loop on things and Lara Jean could tell this was hedging dangerously close.

“Because I know I’ve been slammed at work, but there’s no way you started dating Peter Kavinsky without me knowing, right?” She blinked rapidly and added a second more deliberate, “ _Right_?”

“I am not dating Peter Kavinsky,” Lara Jean assured her. “We just have this thing now where we agreed to be each other’s plus-one to weddings.”

“I’m not following. Why would you agree to that?”

“It’s sort of a long story,” Lara Jean said. She also knew that to an outsider it made absolutely no sense. The more she thought about it, the less sense it made, but somehow it worked out. They went to their second wedding that past weekend – one of her old co-workers – and it worked like a charm. He went home with someone’s cousin and she had a built-in person to help her flag down the catering staff during drinks. She actually broke her personal record for number of appetizers eaten. It was a win-win.

“How did you guys even get in touch again?”

“Remember when I was stood up on my online date? I ran into Peter there.”

“Huh,” Chris said. “It’s a weirdly small world out there, isn’t it?”

“Anyway, it’s been fun. It’s so hard to meet people and it turns out weddings are actually sort of great places to do that.”

“It’s a horrible place to meet people,” Chris said. “You’re all strung out on love and forever. No one can be expected to make rational decisions.”

“I met someone at that wedding and it was a perfectly rational decision,” Lara Jean said somewhat defensively. “Remember that Jason guy?”

“Do you mean the one who said I love you after three dates?”

Lara Jean winced. “Okay, he might not be the best example.”

“Just be careful,” Chris warned. “This sounds a lot like what you guys did back in high school and remember how that turned out?”

“This is completely different,” Lara Jean said. “We aren’t pretending to be anything. Besides, I’m not sixteen anymore. I can handle myself.”

“Sure, but aren’t you basically only seeing each other in formal wear? If you fell for him in those ratty raglans he wore in high school, a suit’s going to be an even bigger challenge.”

“There is no challenge. I saw him in a suit already and, guess what, I’m not magically in love with him.”

“I still think this is a shit idea,” Chris said, holding up her hand when Lara Jean went to argue. “But, I will not say anything else.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

Lara Jean was finishing up some work over the weekend when her phone buzzed with a text from Peter asking to meet up. She thought it was a bit odd, but agreed to meet him at a nearby shopping complex. She found him inside the White Barn Candle shop, alternating sniffs between two different candles.

“Peter, what are we doing here?”

“Smell this – “ he held out one candle, which she dutifully sniffed, “ – okay, and now this one.” Another sniff. “What do you think?”

“They smell exactly the same.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, why are we here?”

He was still smelling the candles, and said, “They’re not right. Neither one of them is right.”

“You’re putting a lot of thought into this candle.”

“It’s my mom’s birthday next week and she always used to burn this one candle when I was growing up. She said they stopped making it years ago, but I thought I could maybe find a similar one.”

“Okay, sure. But, I’m here, why?”

“I wanted to hang out,” he said simply, as if the two of them hanging out was the most natural thing in the world. 

“With me,” Lara Jean said plainly. 

“Yes, with you,” he said, laughing. “I like hanging out with you. Also, I kind of feel the need to apologize for Jason. I heard he came on a little strong.”

“There’s no need. How is he?”

“Well, he no longer brings you up in conversation, which is good. Although that’s because I threatened to stop seeing him.”

“Ugh, I’m sorry,” Lara Jean said reflexively.

“Hey, it’s not your fault you’re such a heartbreaker,” Peter teased, drawing an eye roll from his companion.

“What about you? Did you ever see that girl again? What was her name…”

“Rebecca,” Peter finished. “And no, that was just a one-time thing. I’m not really looking for anything serious right now. I mean, I already have a built-in wedding date. What else do I need?”

“I’d argue a lot more,” Lara Jean said, tilting her head to the side. “But that can be a conversation for another day. Where are we on this candle?”

Peter looked down at the two in his hands and sighed. “Neither one is right. I guess it’s another gift card this year.”

“You cannot get your mother a gift card for her birthday,” Lara Jean said immediately.

“Of course, I can. I got her one for Mother’s Day last year and she said she loved it.”

“She lied. Come on, we’re at a mall with dozens of stores. There has to be something else you can get her.” Peter seemed unconvinced and Lara Jean said, “I’ll help you.”

He relented and followed her out into the mall. After a few stores, they found a bracelet with delicate gold beads. It was the exact sort of thing Lara Jean could see his mother wearing. They ended their day at the frozen yogurt store, Peter laughing when Lara Jean accidentally poured nearly half a container of sprinkles onto her yogurt after asking to “add just a few” when she already paid.

“They’re going to put your picture up in there,” Peter warned lightly. “The Charlottesville Sprinkle Thief.”

“It’s not my fault they came out so fast!” Lara Jean said. “They should have a sign or something.”

“That the sprinkles come out fast?” Peter said, mouth twitching at a smile.

“Yes. Then situations like that could be avoided.”

“Yes, situations like that,” Peter agreed, his efforts to keep his smile at bay failing as his mouth spread into a wide grin. Lara Jean knocked her elbow into his and he said, “No, I get it! Sprinkle avalanches are a very serious situation.”

A comfortable silence fell between them and Lara Jean said, “Today actually ended up being a lot of fun.”

He snorted and said, “You say that with such surprise.”

“I don’t mean it like that,” Lara Jean said immediately.

“You do remember that we used to hang out like this back in high school, right? Or at least we did until Gen and I got back together. You sort of disappeared then.” 

His tone was academic at the end, but there was a note of hurt. Like he was still confused by it all. She wished that she could give him explanation, but she didn’t have one she was willing to share.

“Well, I’m here now,” Lara Jean said.

“Yes, you are,” he said, glancing at her sideways. “So, when’s our next wedding?”

"Two weeks from Saturday. Remember you still need to send me your part of the room deposit."

"Ah right, our first out of town wedding. This is sort of exciting. It's like taking our show on the road."

"It'll be interesting," Lara Jean agreed.

"Do you snore? I hope you don't snore."

"I don't think so," Lara Jean said, suddenly concerned she was snored or some other odd thing she wasn't aware of. What if she sleep walked but never knew? 

Peter scooped a large spoonful of yogurt from his bowl and said, "Well, I guess we're going to find out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, this means next chapter will have them sharing a hotel room. And very likely a bed. If you enjoyed this, please review!


	4. Chapter 4

Wedding number three was held at a country club in a small town about two hours outside of Charlottesville. It was one of Lara Jean’s college friends, someone close enough to warrant the travel but still remote enough to make a check stuffed in an envelope acceptable. Lara Jean was grateful for that last part, as she had spent most of the week buried under a document production at work and had absolutely no time to get a proper gift. She almost asked Peter to help, but decided at the last minute that she couldn’t trust his gifting. 

“Who is this wedding for again?” Peter asked, sitting on his bed in their hotel room and adjusting his tie. They had gotten into town some time earlier and after dealing with a quick room change – one bed wasn’t going to cut it – they got ready for the ceremony.

“My friend Heather from college,” Lara Jean called out from the bathroom as she put the final touches on her hair. She wore her hair in a loose mermaid braid that paired perfectly with her one-strap dress. She draped the braid over her bare shoulder, tweaking little bits of hair where necessary and then bathing it in a hefty spray of hairspray. Peter walked in behind her and coughed. “Do you want your own personal hole in the ozone layer?”

“If it makes sure I don’t have flyaways, then yes.”

“I don’t get women,” he said, leaning toward the mirror and tousling his hair a bit. “You put so much effort into appearances.”

Lara Jean watched him continue to fuss with his hair and said, “Yes, women. We’re the only ones who do that.”

Peter gave himself one last check in the mirror, oblivious to her comment, and said, “Are you ready to go?”

* * *

The ceremony was touching, but predictable, the couple not veering far from the textbook pomp and circumstance. Lara Jean was an easy audience, though, and she usually would have still found herself swept up in the moment if she hadn’t found herself swept up by something – or _someone_ – else.

Chase Worthington sat in the fourth row, looking just as she remembered him from all those years ago. Blue suit. White shirt. Honey-blond hair neatly combed to the side. She thought she loved him back then, and she was pretty sure he loved her, too, until he unceremoniously broke up with her one week before graduation. It was an abrupt end, made all the more uncomfortable by the fact that they were heading to the same law school. He made excuses about needing to focus on his studies and she pretended to understand. Lara Jean would have liked to have said she maintained a clean break, but for the next three years they hooked up whenever they were drunk. She hadn’t known he would be at the wedding. Heather told her that he RSVP’d no.

“Who are you staring at?” Peter whispered in her ear, making her jump.

“No one.”

Peter shrugged, but then a moment later he leaned in again and said, “Blue suit, right?”

“Shh, I’m trying to pay attention to the ceremony,” Lara Jean said as her eyes almost involuntary shifted to the fourth row.

“No, you aren’t. You’ve been staring at blue suit for the past five minutes.” 

“I have not,” she returned stubbornly.

“Have, too.”

“Have-“ An older woman gave them a stern look, and Lara Jean waited for the woman to look away before she finished with, “-not.”

Peter smirked. “Whatever you say, Covey.”

After the ceremony, Peter brought them both glasses of wine from the bar and as he handed her a glass of red, casually said, “I can help you with blue suit.”

“Please stop it with blue suit,” Lara Jean said tiredly. 

“I’ve proven myself to be a very effective wing man.”

Lara Jean took a large gulp of her wine and told him, “Believe me, I don’t need a wing man to get blue suit.” Peter looked at her appraisingly. “It’s a long story.”

“You are literally the only person I know here, so I have time.”

Lara Jean wasn’t particularly keen on going into the whole saga, but she had a feeling that Peter would continue nudging her about it throughout the night if she didn’t. Peter read into her prolonged silence, and told her, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s fine,” she said, wedging her clutch under her arm. “We dated all through college, but he broke it off before graduation. We were both going to UVA for law school, and he said he needed to focus on his studies. But, we always had this pull toward each other. Even before we dated. That continued in law school, and let’s just say, it didn’t end well for me.”

“I’m sorry.”

Lara Jean smiled tightly. “It’s okay. We all have that one person, right? I guess he’s mine.”

Her gaze settled somewhere to the right of him and Peter didn’t have to look to know who was approaching. He turned around and murmured, “You don’t need a wingman. You need a buffer.”

“Huh?” she asked in confusion, but before he could answer, Chase joined them with an easy grin and hello. He immediately pulled Lara Jean in for a hug, and Peter noticed how his hand rested low on her back. Lara Jean leaned into the embrace for a moment before pulling away, her heart racing.

“Hi Chase.” She felt out of breath. Like she ran a marathon or two. She didn’t know how he could have that effect on her without saying a single word, but then again, words had never been particularly important before either. She itched to touch him again, but kept her hand glued to her side.

“It’s great to see you, Lara Jean. You look amazing.”

“Thank you.”

Chase cast a glance at Peter and cleared his throat before Lara Jean kicked into action and said, “Chase, this is Peter.”

She nearly jumped when Peter slid his arm around her waist and said, “Nice to meet you, Chase.”

The move was deliberate, and Chase caught on, looking between them with a renewed interest as he murmured, “You too.”

Lara Jean didn’t know quite how to react to the situation unfolding before her, but she noticed that with Peter’s arm firmly around her waist, she was able to quiet her more base urges. She welcomed the clearer head and said, “It was nice running into you, Chase. If you’ll excuse us.”

She took Peter’s hand and walked aimlessly away from Chase, feeling both elated and overwhelmed by what had just happened. Peter looked down at her and said, “You’re not about to yell at me, are you?”

“I could kiss you right now.”

He gave her a strange look and said, “Let’s maybe reevaluate that?”

“Did you see what I just did?” she said excitedly, bowling right over his comment. “I walked away from him. I _never_ walk away from him.”

“So, this is good?”

“This is better than good,” she said, taking a deep breath. “But, considering my track record, let’s keep you close by, okay?”

Peter grinned. “Happy to be of service.”

* * *

Later that evening, the newlyweds worked their way around the room, stopping at each table to greet guests and thank them for coming. Lara Jean and Peter had taken part in a lively Cupid’s Shuffle before collapsing back in their seats just in time for the newlyweds. It was only Lara Jean and Peter at the table, and Heather beamed until her eyes landed on Peter, her grin tight as she said, “Lara Jean, is this the new boyfriend I heard about?”

It looked like Chase was in a talking mood. Lara Jean considered telling the truth, but at this juncture, it seemed almost easier to just go along with it and devise a later breakup story. 

“Yes, this is Peter.”

Heather nodded briskly and grasped her husband’s arm. “Well, we need to keep making the rounds. So nice to see you both.”

Lara Jean watched Heather pull her husband to the next table and said, “Was it just me, or was that weird?”

“Yeah, that’s on me,” Peter said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought I recognized her.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“We kind of hooked up a few weeks ago.”

“WHAT?” Lara Jean said loudly, drawing some looks from people at nearby tables.

“Would you keep your voice down?” Peter hissed.

“How did you hook up with her?” Lara Jean asked.

“You really need an explanation?”

“No,” she said irritably. “I mean…you know what I mean!”

“Look, we were both pretty trashed. I was out with some buddies and she had a group of girls. I think a bunch of them were wearing black?”

Lara Jean covered her face with her hand and said, “Let me guess, she was wearing white?”

Peter saw where she was going and said, “I realize now it was a bachelorette party. I’m not sure I grasped that at the time. Like I said, there was a lot of drinking.”

Lara Jean shook her head. “I was supposed to go with them, too. I could have stopped this.”

Before he thought better of it, Peter said, “Probably not. It happened pretty suddenly.”

Lara Jean stared at him. “Oh my god. You had sex _in_ the bar?”

Peter considered that and said, “Well, actually…”

“Do not finish that sentence.” Lara Jean stood and braced her hands on the table. “I’m going to go have several shots now to erase this from my memory. For the sake of our friendship, please don’t follow.”

“Understood.”

* * *

It turned out that the shots served to only highlight the fact that Peter slept with the bride, rather than erase it. Lara Jean did a fairly good job of bottling it in for the remainder of the reception, but in their room, she couldn’t help bringing it up in between hiccups, much to Peter’s chagrin as he tried to sleep. Finally, he gave in and opened up the minibar wine.

“Look, it just proves what I’ve always known,” he said. “And that is monogamy is a fairytale.”

“You don’t mean that,” Lara Jean said.

“I do mean that.”

“How? How can you possibly mean that?”

“Your friend had sex with me in a bathroom stall three weeks before her wedding. That’s how I can mean it.”

“That’s one person,” Lara Jean argued. “You can’t base something like that off of one person. Besides, she was drunk.”

Peter snorted. “Drinking doesn’t just make you an entirely different person. Somewhere deep down, she knew what she was doing. They always know what they’re doing.”

“Who’s they?”

“Look, all I’m saying is that we’ve proven for centuries that monogamy doesn’t work and it still doesn’t. Your friend proved it.” He took a swig of the wine. “My ex-wife proved it.”

Lara Jean shook her head, dangling her leg off the bed as she said, “I’m so glad we never dated.”

“You and my ex-wife?”

“No, dummy, you and me.”

“Was that an option at some point?”

She threw a Reese’s Cups wrapper at him and said, “Very funny.”

“No, I’m serious. You always seemed annoyed by me.”

“There were moments,” she admitted. “But there were other moments, too. Remember when we pretended to date in high school?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“I liked you then. Well, not in the beginning, but after.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Lara Jean shrugged. “It didn’t seem like it would mean anything. And, as we just established, it would have never worked.”

“Yeah,” Peter echoed softly. “It would have never worked.”

Lara Jean hoisted herself into a seated position with difficulty and said, “Okay, I am going to puke and then I am going to bed.”

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Lara Jean nodded. “Just, you know, check on me if I don’t come out in five.”

“Five minutes. Got it.”

She emerged from the bathroom well before five minutes and climbed into her bed, falling asleep almost immediately. Peter stayed awake for much longer, counting his breaths until he fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, they skipped the preplanned brunch and got on the road early, numbing their hangovers with donuts and coffee. As Peter pulled onto the highway, Lara Jean asked, “I didn’t do anything embarrassing last night, did I?”

“You don’t remember performing _Thriller_ for the entire wedding party?”

“Peter, I’m serious,” Lara Jean said, but she couldn’t help but smile. “And I know I didn’t do that. Or at least I don’t think I did. I remember pretty much up until we left the wedding and then…not much else.”

Peter filed away the fact that she didn’t remember their conversation and said, “We just went to bed. And, for the record, you do not snore.”

Lara Jean grinned triumphantly, leaning her head back against the seat, and said, "I knew it."


	5. Chapter 5

Lara Jean woke up with a pounding headache and particularly sand-paper-like mouth. She blinked slowly as the night before came back to her. It was her birthday. Chris planned a calendar of events. An escape room. Dinner. Drinks. Lots of drinks.

Kissing Peter Kavinsky.

She sat up, the sudden movement making the person next to her shift in bed. Hold on. There was a person in her bed. She held her breath as she looked over, seeing exactly who she expected given the bits and pieces that she remembered.

“Oh no,” she murmured. “No, no, no.”

She slipped out of bed and went into her bathroom, closing the door behind her. She dialed Chris’ number and when it went to message, frantically whispered, “Chris, I need you to call me. I really, really need you to call me because I don’t remember a lot of last night, and – Peter Kavinsky is in my bed. PETER – “ she felt her voice go shrieky, and she inhaled sharply before she dropped her voice again – “I just really need you to call me as soon as you get this. Okay, bye.”

Lara Jean hung up the phone and leaned her head back against the wall. She couldn’t believe it happened. Sure, she had felt some sort of shift between them since the last wedding. And she was attracted to him. To be honest, she was always attracted to him, but she knew better. Or at least she usually did. Peter had made it abundantly clear where he stood on relationships and she was firmly on the other side.

There was a knock on the door and Lara Jean startled, slamming her head into the wall.

“Lara Jean, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said, holding the back of her head. “Nothing to see in here.”

“Any chance I can get in there soon?”

“In here?” she asked in a panic. “For what?”

“Um, to use the bathroom?” he said slowly. “You do realize you’re in the bathroom, right?”

Lara Jean winced and opened the door. 

“It’s all yours,” she said with as much dignity as she could scrounge in her current condition and walked past him.

Alone in her room, she quickly made her bed, wondering just what activities it had paid witness to the night before. She didn’t even have the murkiest memory of what happened, but if an eager and drunk her had met a willing him, she could only imagine. Which was precisely what Peter caught her doing when he walked out of the bathroom.

“Covey?”

“Coffee,” she said suddenly, jumping from the bed. “I’m going to make us coffee.”

She rushed out of the room, the bright sun streaming in through the kitchen window and feeling much like an assault on her eyes. Peter slowly walked into the kitchen and watched her make the coffee. She spilled a good portion of the coffee grounds onto the counter.

“Do you need help?” he asked.

“No,” she said quickly. “You just stay over there. I’m all good.”

“You’re acting kind of weird.”

“What?” she asked, voice unnaturally high. “I’m not weird. Why would you say I’m acting weird?”

“Your voice is like an octave higher than normal.”

“We slept together!” she blurted out, turning around bracing her hands on the counter behind her. “So, I’m sorry if I’m a little weird, but it’s not exactly something I planned on, and…” she trailed off when she noticed that he was laughing, “…why are you laughing? This isn’t funny. Oh god, was it funny? That can’t be good.”

“Lara Jean, we didn’t sleep together.”

“We didn’t? Are you sure?”

Peter laughed. “Yes, I’m sure. I’m pretty sure I would remember if we did.”

She still couldn’t quite follow and said, “But, you were in my bed.”

“Fully dressed.”

“Yeah, well, I thought we maybe got dressed after,” she answered weakly. 

Peter shook his head, his mouth pulled into an easy grin. He was enjoying this all too much considering she had nearly had a full panic attack.

“You had a lot to drink last night and I took you home,” he explained slowly. “When I tried to leave, you insisted that I stay. I tried to sleep on the couch, but you were pretty insistent.”

Lara Jean had a horrible thought, and tepidly asked, “I didn’t…”

“Don’t worry, you were a proper lady,” he said.

“Okay,” she said, her nerves settling. “So, we didn’t sleep together. That’s a relief.”

“Getting a little offended here,” Peter said.

“I can’t believe I made you get in bed with me,” Lara Jean said, taking mugs from the cabinet and filling each with coffee. “I must be a needy drunk.”

“Yes and bossy,” Peter said, accepting the mug of coffee from her. “It is a very dangerous combination.”

“Well, thank you for staying. While it horrified sober me, I’m sure I was very grateful last night.”

“You were. You kept trying to give me things in your bedroom.”

She walked over to the couch and he followed her, settling next to her on the cushions. After a long sip of coffee, Lara Jean’s thoughts drifted to the few memories that she had of the night before, and she said, “Hey, so I'm guessing we didn’t kiss last night, either?”

He cast her a look that made her stomach flip. “Well, actually…”

“We did?”

“It’s not what you think. It was a dare.”

Lara Jean pressed her lips together and said, “I’m almost thirty and we were playing truth or dare?” 

“Not exactly. It was an adult Jenga where every block had a dare.”

Lara Jean rolled her eyes. “Oh, well, that makes it better.”

He propped his feet up next to hers on the coffee table and knocked his knee against the side of her leg.

“It’s not a huge deal, you know.”

She turned her face toward his. “I know.”

They were closer than she realized and she watched his gaze drop to her mouth as he murmured, “It’s just a kiss.”

She licked her lips, acutely aware of the feel of his arm pressed against hers. The heat of the coffee mug in her hands. She wanted to kiss him with such intensity that it literally took her breath away. What was going on with her?

“Can I tell you something?” he asked, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant.

She nodded.

“I really liked being the person to take you home last night.”

It was a perfect sentence, and with that, she leaned in and kissed him, forgetting about the coffee in her hand and spilling it on his lap. They jumped away from each other, Peter swearing as the hot liquid burned a rather sensitive area.

“I’m so sorry! Hold on –“ she ran into the kitchen and grabbed the first thing she could think of – a roll of paper towels – and was haphazardly trying to help him with his pants when Chris came in the front door, stopping short when she took in the questionable tableau before her. Peter standing. Lara Jean half bent over with her hands at his crotch.

“Sorry,” Chris said, already backing out the door. “I should have knocked. I – “

“It’s not what it looks like,” Lara Jean said, holding the paper towels up for Chris to see. “I spilled coffee on Peter. I was just helping?”

“I’ll let you two get back to that,” Chris said, already out the door and closing it with a perfunctory thud.

“This is a very eventful morning,” Peter said, wincing as he took a step.

“Are you okay?” Lara Jean asked. 

“I’ll be fine,” he said. “But I probably should go home and change.”

“Yes, absolutely. Again, I’m really sorry.”

He braced his hands on her arms and said, “You do not have to apologize. Sometimes things just happen. And this, well – “ his mouth spread into a brilliant grin, “- it was worth it.” He started to lower his mouth to hers, but then stopped and murmured, “Is this okay?”

She didn’t know the answer, but her body acted of its own accord. She rose on her tip toes and closed the distance between them. After a moment, he pulled away and asked, “Can I take you out for lunch?”

She nodded.

“I’ll come back here at one. I’ll see you then?”

“Yes, see you then.”

He gave her one last kiss and then left. Rooted in her spot, Lara Jean pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed Chris’ number.

“We have a lot to talk about.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry this took 8,000 years to write. I had writer's block and then this quarantine sapped all of my writing energy. But, the new chapter is here!

Lara Jean had always been rational to a fault, but there was nothing rational about Peter’s mouth on her neck, his hand slipping under her shirt to brush against her skin. There was nothing rational about the way she wrapped herself around him, losing herself in the relentless rhythm until the bottom fell out. It was heat and passion and everything in those romance books that she used to read when she was younger. She hadn’t thought that type of passion actually existed, but then they kissed, and had lunch, and everything that came after. That day, and the next. Almost every day since for a week, and Lara Jean didn’t know what she was doing. Because, again, she was _rational_ , and it wasn’t rational to let herself feel this. 

“Your skin has been crazy glow-y since you and Peter started sleeping together,” Chris said, grabbing a bottle of white wine from the refrigerator. “It’s like a sex facial.”

“Please never say sex facial again. Besides, we _slept_ together. As in the past tense. It’s not happening anymore.”

“Mhmm,” Chris said, passing Lara Jean a glass. “You just decided that right now, didn’t you?”

“No, it’s something I’ve been thinking about,” Lara Jean said, although admittedly, it was a rather recent decision. They’d been together the night before. “I should have never slept with him in the first place. We are both very different people, and Peter…well…he doesn’t want the same things that I want.”

“Have you asked him?”

“I don’t have to, he’s told me. Repeatedly, actually. I’m looking for a partner. He is a jaded divorcee who thinks all love is doomed. Do you see the disconnect there?”

“Just because he felt that way before doesn’t mean he feels that way now. People change. Especially when amazing people like yourself enter their lives.”

Lara Jean smiled. “While I appreciate the vote of confidence, I don’t give myself nearly that much credit. Besides, I was already in his life.”

“Not really. You were someone whose status updates he scrolled past on Facebook. _Maybe_ he stops if there’s something interesting, but…” Chris made a face and Lara Jean asked, “Is this a commentary on my Facebook statuses?”

“Not at all, but while we’re on the subject, they’re a little wordy.”

“Okay,” Lara Jean said defensively.

“They just need a little editing!”

Lara Jean shook her head and took a sip of wine before gamely responding, “This coming from the person who uses #blessed un-ironically.”

“I make no apologies for that and I never will,” Chris returned airily. “But, LJ, I think you should give Peter a chance.”

“Why are you on his side all of a sudden? Don’t you remember the freakout you had when this all first started?”

“Yes, because I thought you were getting yourself into another situation where you pined after him and I can only listen to that once in a lifetime,” Chris spelled out slowly, much to Lara Jean’s annoyance. “But, it’s not like that now. He really proved himself at your birthday party.”

Lara Jean didn’t say anything because she had no way to refute it. The bits and pieces that she remembered from the night – save for the kiss – were pretty routine. She didn’t think anything was remarkable enough to spark such support from her notoriously judgmental friend. 

“Well, I’ll take your word for it,” Lara Jean said, but her mind was already made up. She wasn’t going to fall for an unavailable man. Not at her age and definitely not for Peter Kavinsky.

* * *

Lara Jean didn’t quite know how she wanted to have the conversation with Peter, but then he invited himself over and the situation presented itself. She tidied the apartment nervously as she waited for him, arranging and rearranging the throw pillows on her couch until she gave up and tossed them haphazardly on the cushions. There was a knock on the door and she began to walk over before she turned back abruptly, quickly flip-flopping two pillows. Nerves pulled tight, she hurried to the door and opened it. Peter smiled at her, looking casual and alarmingly handsome in a grey sweater and jeans. She stepped aside to let him in and when she closed the door he was in front of her and gave her a quick hello before he leaned in for a kiss. She pulled away, giving him an apologetic slant of her eyes as she said, “We should talk.”

Peter straightened and said, “Okay, sure.”

She noticed then the canvas bag slung over his shoulder with a baguette peeking out the top. She swallowed hard and asked, “Did you bring lunch?”

“Yeah,” he said, taking a hold of the bag and sliding it off his arm. “I figured you probably hadn’t eaten, so I grabbed some cheese and cured meats. The bread, too, obviously.”

“Uh huh,” she said, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. 

“It’s not a big deal if you did eat,” he said. “I can just put it in your refrigerator and you can have it later.”

“Peter,” she said, intention clear in her voice, but just where she intended on going, she wasn’t quite sure. She had a plan before, but then he brought her charcuterie. 

After a pause, Peter leadingly said, “Yes, Lara Jean…”

“I don’t know what’s going on here,” she said. “Because, one minute you’re being all jaded and, you know, love is a lie and all of that. But then, you’re here with cheeses and cured meats.” 

“I know you like charcuterie.”

“Peter, are you trying to date me?”

He stared at her like she had three heads and said, “What do you think we’ve been doing for the last week?”

Somewhat defensively, she said, “I thought you didn’t believe in all of this!”

“Hang on, when did I say that?”

“At my friend Heather’s wedding. I remembered our conversation that night. When we went back to the room? You said that monogamy is a fairytale. That for centuries we’ve all proven that it’s just this fake concept.”

“Look, weddings put me in a bad headspace,” he said. 

“So, you didn’t mean it?” she asked.

“Well, no,” he said truthfully. “I probably did mean it then. But, Lara Jean, I like you. I really like you and I want to give this a chance.” He stepped forward and slowly reached for her hand. She let him take it, watching him interlace their fingers. “Please give us a chance.”

Lara Jean could feel his heart beat through his hand and it beat as quickly, if not more quickly, than hers. She had been anxious about the whole situation when she thought he wasn’t all in, but now knowing the contrary, her anxiety increased tenfold. It was comforting in a way to end it because she was in control. She had no idea how this would turn out.

“So, we’re dating?” she asked, looking up at him.

“I feel like this is a trick question,” he said slowly.

“No, it’s not,” she said, her cheeks flushing. “I’m just confirming. We’re dating.”

A wide grin spread on his face and he nodded, kissing her hand. “I can bring you my letterman jacket to wear if that would make it feel more official,” he joked.

She laughed and without thinking said, "Well, I don't know, Gen never wore it."

"What?"

She felt stupid for bringing Gen up and quickly said, "Nothing, it's just - well - when you and Gen dated she never wore your letterman jacket. But, you were just joking, obviously."

"I actually tried to get her to wear it and she never wanted to," Peter said. 

"Really?" Lara Jean asked and he nodded. "Well, if it would make you feel better, I can wear it now."

Peter laughed. "Believe it or not, I'm not that torn up about it."

He leaned forward and kissed her, his mouth gentle and unhurried against hers. It was the type of kiss that knew there would be many more. But, just like in her romance novels, the gentle kiss made way for something more, his mouth more sure and her hands insistent as they slowly began to move, her back finding purchase against her kitchen island. As they pulled apart for air, Lara Jean murmured, “Lunch can wait, yeah?”

“Lunch can wait," he agreed, dipping his mouth to the curve of her neck. 

Lara Jean had every intention of taking this to her bedroom, but they only made it to her couch, Peter pausing for a moment to ask, "Hold on, are these different throw pillows?"

"No, I just rearranged them," Lara Jean said.

"Huh."

"So, do you think we can get back to..."

"Oh, yeah, definitely," Peter said, diving back in like a pro. 

When they were finished, Lara Jean made herself decent (despite Peter's objections) and went into the kitchen. She quickly made up the charcuterie board and set it on the table in front of them. She caught Peter looking at her and asked, "What is it?"

"I'm just envisioning you in my letterman jacket."

She smirked. "I thought you didn't care about that."

"I didn't, but see, then you offered to wear it. Now I can't stop thinking about it."

Lara Jean tucked her legs under her. "This is going to become a thing for you, isn't it?"

"I think it is."

They grew quiet, eating their lunch, and she kept stealing glances at him until it was his turn to ask with a soft grin, "What is it?"

She paused before saying, "I'm really happy. A bit scared, too," she admitted. "More than a bit, actually. But I'm more happy, if that makes sense?"

He nodded. "It does."

She took a deep breath and said, "We're really doing this."

"We're really doing this," he repeated. "And there's no turning back now. That last thing I did on this couch is dating-only."

Lara Jean laughed, blushing slightly. This day had not turned out anything like she thought, but still, it was perfect.


	7. Chapter 7

It was rare for Peter to be in a bad mood, but he was decidedly in one after a lunch with his mother. He met Lara Jean at her apartment, filling her in on what had happened while he stress-ate leftover cheese and prosciutto from the refrigerator.

“My mom said, Hank and I want to get married, what do you think? So, of course, I say that’s a great idea. Because even thought I think Hank’s an idiot, what else am I supposed to say? No, mom, don’t be happy.”

“You definitely shouldn’t have said that,” Lara Jean said, taking a bite of cheese.

“Exactly,” he said. “So, I say great idea. I figure they need to plan the wedding still, there’s time still for her to come to her senses, and then she says they’re getting married this weekend.”

Lara Jean blinked rapidly. Talk about a quick turnaround.

“This weekend?”

“They said they planned on a surprise wedding, but then figured her son shouldn’t be surprised by it. That’s why I’m only finding out now.”

“Well, that’s good at least?”

“But the worst part, is that they want me to be best man.”

“That’s the worst part, why?” Lara Jean asked carefully.

“The last thing I want to do is stand up there like I’m supportive of this all. Because I’m not.”

“Why aren’t you exactly?” Lara Jean asked. “I haven’t really heard about Hank much except for, well, right now. I know you said your mom was dating someone.”

“I just don’t like him. I never have.”

Lara Jean sensed something about his dislike, and asked, “Well, does he treat your mom well?”

Peter shrugged. “I guess. They just moved so fast through all of this. You know, they moved in after like three months of dating? It’s like, get to know the person first.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Two years.”

Lara Jean nodded slowly. “It seems like they did get to know each other, and now they’re taking the next step. And I think it’s nice they want you to be a part of it. Wouldn’t you rather that then to not be included?”

“Why aren’t you on my side about this?” Peter asked, voice rising.

“Hey, I am on your side. But, I don’t know, it sounds like you’re being a little irrational. Your mom is an adult. I’m sure she can take care of herself.”

“You don’t understand.”

Lara Jean set him with a look and said, “I don’t understand what? Parents remarrying?”

Peter’s face softened. “Shit, I’m sorry.”

“It was hard seeing my dad remarry, too. But they also need to be happy.”

“Anyway, I was going to ask you if you wanted to go to the wedding with me. But, now that I’ve been a total ass…”

“Of course, I’ll go the wedding with you,” Lara Jean said softly. “That’s the deal, isn’t it? You go to my weddings and I go to yours?”

“This one wasn’t part of the original schedule.”

“Well,” Lara Jean said, sidling up to him at the kitchen island. “The great thing about a girlfriend, is she also goes with you to unexpected weddings. It’s the fine print in that contract I had you sign.”

He laughed. “I’m really sorry about snapping at you. I guess this is sort of hard for me.”

Lara Jean nodded.

“She’s really excited to see you, though. She was pretty happy when I told her we were dating.”

“I’m a big sell with parents.”

“What did your dad say when you told him?”

Lara Jean grinned. “Well, he cried tears of joy, obviously. And then he started making the slideshow of childhood photos for our wedding.”

Peter slid his arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. She could feel him tensing again, and she laid her hand against his chest.

“It will be okay,” she murmured. “I promise.”

* * *

That weekend, Lara Jean picked out a dress and went over to Peter’s apartment to help him get ready for his mom’s wedding. His mood had not improved much, and she convinced him to at least wear a tie before they headed out to the restaurant. It was a small Italian place where they rented out the backroom. The guests thought that it was a 60thbirthday party for Hank, but instead they were all going to be treated to a surprise wedding.

Lara Jean could feel Peter’s tension rise as they rode in the Uber to the restaurant. She took his hand and held it in her lap, running her thumb along his knuckles. He was quiet, looking out the window, but when she softly said his name, he turned toward her.

“No matter what happens today, I am going to be here for you,” she said, leaning forward and kissing him. He kissed her back and said, “What if we just drive past the restaurant? Stay in here all night?”

She kissed him again. “We are not skipping your mother’s wedding, but nice try.”

A few minutes later, they were at the restaurant. Peter got out first and then opened the door for Lara Jean. Seeing her dress in its full again, he said, “You really do look beautiful.”

“Thank you. Your tie looks very nice, too.”

He rolled his eyes. “Yes, you were right about the tie. Are you happy now?”

“Deliriously. Let’s go inside.”

Peter followed Lara Jean into the restaurant and to the backroom. Some old Frank Sinatra was playing on the overhead speakers, intermingling with the sounds of laughter and conversation. Whether the group knew they were celebrating a wedding or not, they were certainly a joyful group. Peter’s mom, Carol, spotted them and rushed over, giving them a tight hug.

“Lara Jean, I am so happy to see you. I could hardly believe it when Peter told me about you two.”

“It’s good to see you, too,” Lara Jean said. 

“Peter, looking sharp!” a man, who Lara Jean could only presume was Hank, said, walking over and clapping Peter on the shoulder. “I like that tie. Hold on, is this the famous Lara Jean?”

“Yes, it is,” Peter said. “Lara Jean, this is Hank.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Lara Jean said.

“I can’t tell you how happy Carol and I were when we heard about you and Peter. You really make him happy, and that makes us happy.”

Lara Jean smiled and nodded. “Well, he makes me happy, too.”

Hank spotted someone over her shoulder and said, “Sorry, I see someone I have to go say hi to. But, it was great meeting you.”

Hank and Carol went to greet their other guests, and Peter watched them walk away before saying, “He’s the worst, right?”

Lara Jean gave him a strange look.

* * *

The rest of the evening, Lara Jean played interference with Peter and Hank, hoping that his mother didn’t realize too much, which was probably aided by the several glasses of wine Carol consumed over dinner. Carol was incandescently happy, gazing at Hank with an adoration that her soon-to-be-husband returned and some. From where Lara Jean sat, all she could see was a couple that was madly in love. And next to her, a disgruntled son and soon-to-be-son-in-law.

After dinner, Carol and Hank stood and after some opening remarks, Carol said, “We have a surprise for you. This dinner is not for Hank’s birthday. You are at our wedding!”

There was a hum of surprise in the room and Lara Jean swallowed her smile when Peter caught her. She couldn’t help herself, though. She loved weddings.

“I hope you all don’t mind if we get hitched while we’re waiting on dessert,” Hank said, drawing laughs. “I think we just so happen to have an ordained minister over at table four.”

A tall, wiry man with grey hair stood and gave everyone a small wave. Hank grinned wide and said, “How lucky is that?”

Carol gestured for Peter to come and join them and Lara Jean squeezed his knee under the table. Peter walked over and they congregated in the front of the room with the minister. It was a quick ceremony, and in about as much time as it took for everyone’s coffee cups to be filled, Hank and Carol were husband and wife. When Peter returned, Lara Jean said, “You did very well up there.”

Peter didn’t say anything, instead taking a large gulp of wine. After the ceremony was complete, cake was passed out and it was time for speeches. Peter hadn’t mentioned a speech, and Lara Jean found herself moderately worried when he stood up, not only based on his sentiments throughout the evening, but his empty wine glass.

“When I found out about tonight, I was just about as surprised as all of you,” Peter began. “As a kid, you don’t really think about your mother getting married. And I definitely didn’t think it would be to Hank.” There was a wash of uncomfortable laughter as Peter rubbed the back of neck. “Although, to be fair to Hank, I didn’t know he existed. But, then I met him. And, I’ll be honest, I didn’t like him.”

Lara Jean curled her hands around the edges of her seat. This was not going well.

“You see, for a long time it was just me and my mom,” Peter said. “Then she met Hank. And, you know, it’s funny, right around the time she met Hank, she started smiling more. She laughed more. And she sang around the house again, which was something she hadn’t done since I was a kid. Hank, you make my mom happy, and what I hope for you two, is you continue making each other that happy.” Peter picked up the glass of champagne and held it up for a toast. “To Carol and Hank.”

“To Carol and Hank,” the room echoed.

* * *

After the wedding, Lara Jean and Peter were stretched out on her couch, Lara Jean’s body fitting neatly against his. They weren’t talking much, but Lara Jean remembered something she saw on their way out of the restaurant and quietly asked about it.

“I saw you and Hank talking before we left.”

“Oh, yeah, I was just offering him my congratulations.” He yawned wide. “I still don’t like him, but he really does seem to make my mom happy. And I guess that’s what counts?”

“It counts for something.”

“God, today was a weird day,” he said, burying his face in the crook of her neck. 

“But it’s over now,” she said, covering his arm with hers. “We can just stay on this couch as long as we need.”

“I like this couch,” Peter said, pressing a kiss to her neck. “I have very fond memories of this couch.”

Lara Jean grinned. “Me too.”

“I know I don’t have to say this, but thank you for being there today.”

“There was nowhere else I’d have rather been.”


	8. Chapter 8

Lara Jean logged into the Zoom chat room, fixing her lipstick in the video preview as Peter joined her on the couch with two flutes of champagne. She took a flute and leaned in for a quick kiss, pulling away just as she heard her sister go, “You guys know you’re on camera, right?”

Lara Jean laughed, grinning at her younger sister as she said, “Happy wedding day, Kitty!” 

“Thank you!”

Kitty’s original wedding date was June 1, which landed directly in the middle of the nation-wide quarantine. There were discussions of moving the wedding a year down the line, but ultimately, Kitty and her fiancée, Ben, didn’t want to wait. Instead, they found an online minister who could marry them virtually, and started planning a new sort of wedding. They only invited immediate family, planning on having a big reception later with the original guest list.

“I’m so glad we’re able to do this,” Lara Jean said. “Even if it’s different than how you envisioned it.”

“A wedding from our couch? It’s the wedding Kitty always dreamed of but didn’t think she could have,” Ben said.

Kitty looked at him adoringly. “You know me so well. Oh, Margot and Josh are here!”

The couples chatted excitedly, the ordained minister joining a few minutes later. 

“Is Dad here yet?” Margot asked.

“Not yet. Odds on him not being able to figure out how to get into the room?” Kitty said.

“I heard that,” Dr. Covey said, his face filling the screen. 

“I fully believed that you would make it into the chat room,” Margot said, causing Kitty to gamely say, “No sucking up on my wedding day, Margot!”

The two bantered playfully before Dr. Covey grinned wide and said, “Is that Peter Kavinsky?”

Peter laughed. “Hello, Dr. Covey.”

“I’m here, too,” Lara Jean said with a small wave. “You know, your second born?”

Peter knocked his knee against hers. “Just face it, your dad likes me better.”

Lara Jean sighed and said, “It was bound to happen.”

“Do we have everyone present?” the minister asked.

Kitty took a deep breath, her cheeks coloring with excitement. “Yes, everyone is here. Should we get started?”

“If you’re ready.”

Kitty looked over at Ben and they exchanged a small nod, each of them grinning. “Yes, we’re ready.” 

The minister’s voice shifted into something more commanding as he began the ceremony. 

“Friends and family, we are gathered here today for the union of Kitty Song-Covey and Ben Hampton.”

The bride and groom wrote their own vows, the personal touches and tributes more intimate over video. While Ben’s delivery was polished and practiced, Kitty read hers from a piece of notebook paper, her voice shaking as she recited the words quickly. Her voice caught on a word and she stopped, her hands grasping the notebook paper tightly. Ben gently covered her hand with his and leaned in, whispering something that only Kitty could hear. Kitty nodded, and Ben took the piece of paper, finishing reading her vows. When he was finished, he leaned in and kissed her cheek.

“Ben, do you take Kitty to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do.”

“Kitty, do you take Ben to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Kitty was still fighting back tears and only nodded.

“I think you need to say it out loud, babe,” Ben murmured.

Kitty laughed and took a shaky breath. “I do.”

“With the power vested in me, Ben and Kitty, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Ben you-“

Before the minister could finish, Ben leaned in and kissed Kitty. Lara Jean clapped excitedly, wiping away her own tears. Her sister found someone who saw and loved her completely, and nothing made Lara Jean happier. Except for maybe the man beside her, who was whooping loudly with his glass of champagne raised.

“To Ben and Kitty,” Dr. Covey said, holding up a glass.

Everyone echoed the sentiment, cheering to the happy couple’s future. The celebration continued for an hour or so, the mood jubilant as they worked through their respective bottles of wine. When they signed off, Lara Jean leaned back on the couch and tipped her head back to finish the last of her champagne. Peter grabbed the bottle to pour her more, and she shook her head.

“My head is already dancing.”

He grinned, settling next to her. “Your head is dancing?”

“Mhhmm,” she said, cuddling up to him. 

“What type of dance?”

“A waltz,” she said, then quickly corrected herself. “No, not a waltz. Whatever dance they do in those Jane Austen movies. _That’s_ what my head is doing.”

“What dance do they do in Jane Austen movies?”

Lara Jean yawned wide. “I don’t know what it’s called, but it always looks so romantic.”

Peter kissed the side of her head. “The wedding was really nice. They looked happy.”

“They did look happy,” Lara Jean agreed. “It got me thinking.”

“Yeah? About what?”

“This all started because I didn’t want to go to Kitty’s wedding alone. I was so concerned about how I would look if I was alone, I barely even thought about the guy. Just that he would be there.” 

“So there was a very low bar for me,” Peter joked.

She looked up at him, and the expression on her face was so sincere that he would have kissed her right then if he wasn’t so interested in hearing what she had to say.

“Peter, you are beyond anything I could have ever imagined. And I am so grateful that we found each other again. Even if it took me getting stood up in a very public place.”

“It worked out well for both of us,” he said, tenderly brushing her hair away from her face. “I did find out about the good bread, after all.”

Lara Jean laughed. “I’m glad to know I have made such a lasting impact on your life.”

Peter grinned, considering that for a moment, and then said, “You really have. You know, I never thought I would have this again after my divorce. I kind of thought that meeting someone and falling in love was all bullshit. And then I saw you at that restaurant.”

“Falling in love?”

Peter’s cheeks flushed. “Oh, well, I mean…”

“You can take it back,” Lara Jean said softly. “But, if it helps, I love you, too.”

A slow grin spread on his face. “Yeah?”

Lara Jean nodded. “I love you, Peter.” 

Peter kissed her and murmured, “I love you, too, Lara Jean.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know if you'd like to see more!


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